In the mid-1980's remote controls started to become more commonplace in homes. Since then, the use of remote controls has proliferated at an unprecedented pace, with many households having multiple remote controls for different devices throughout the home. A secondary industry that has benefited from the increased use of remote controls is the battery industry.
Typically, a remote control might use one or more AAA, AA, 9-Volt size, or other sized battery. These batteries will only last for so long, due both to their own life expectancy and also depending on frequency of use. Given the increasing number of remote controls present in a particular home, the rate of battery usage by even one household can quickly become excessive.